Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1887-12-03
THE SOCIALIST PLATFORM.
What the Radical Wing of the Labor
Party Agitate For.

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equitable that those who perform all
labor and thus create all wealth should
enjoy the product of their toll.
But this is rendered impossible by the
modern system of production, which,
since the discovery of steam power and
since the general introduction of ma
chimes, is in all branches of industry
carried with such gigantic means and
appliances as but few are able to
possess.
The present industrial system is CO.
operative in one respect only, which is:
That not, as in former times, the indi-
vidual works alone for his own account,
but dozens, hundreds and thousands of
men work together in shops, in mines, on
huge farms and lands, cooperating ac-
cording to the most efficient division of
labor, while the fruits of this co-opera-
tive labor are not reaped by the workers
themselves, but are in great measure
appropriated by the owners of the means
of production.
This system, by gradually eXtinguish-
ing the middle class of people, necessari-
ly separates society into two classes: The
class of the wage workers, and that of
the great bosses.
1t brings forth as its natural out
growths:
The planlessness and reckless rate of
production.
The waste of human and natural
forces.
The commercial and industrial crises.
The constant uncertainty of the ma
terial existence of the wage workers.
The misery of the laboring masses.
The accumulation of wealth in the
hands of few.
These conditions, which under the
present industrial system cannot but be-
come more and more aggravated, is in
| consistent with the interests of mankind,
with the principles of justice and true
democracy, as they destroy those rights
which the Declaration of Independence
| of the United States holds to be nalien-
| able in all men: The right to life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness.
These conditions shorten and imperil
life by want and misery. They destroy
liberty because the economical subjec-
ton of the wage-workers to the owners
of the means of production Immediately
leads to their political dependence upon
the same sources, and finally Illustrate
the pursuit of happiness, which is never
possible when life and personal liberty
are constantly endangered.
In order, therefore, to abolish these
humiliating conditions, we strive to
introduce the perfect system of cooper
| ative production-th is, we demand
that the workers obtain the undivided
product of their toll.
This system, however, carries within
itself the germs of new organization of
humanity in the modern industrial States,
both economically and morally.
BY the evolution of this system to its
highest pitch, the dispossessed working
masses will at last become opposed to a
comparatively few despotic chiefs of in
| austry, and by reason Of the unbearable
uncertainty of existence, the former will
find themselves compelled to abolish the
wage system and establish the co-opera-
tive society.
The basis of a cooperative society stip-
ulates the substitution of public owner
ship for private ownership of land, in
struments of labor (machines, factories,
etc., and with it cooperative production
and guarantee of a share in the product
in accordance with the service rendered
by the individual to society.
The Socalistic Labor Party bases its
name as Labor Party upon the ac-
acknowledgement of the oppression of the
class of wage-workers by the class Of
capitalists.
POLITICAL DEMANDS.
We consider it the highest duty of the
Government and Legislatures to assist in
the changing of the present economical
conditions INTO cooperative society, by
proper legislation, in order to avoid a
conflict between the possessors and the
non -possessors; for that purpose we
strive for the acquisition of political
power with all appropriate means.
/. Abolition of the Presidency, Vice
Presidency and Senate of the United
States An Executive Board to be estab-
lished, whose members are to be elected,
and may at any time be recalled, by the
House OF Representatives as the only
legislative body. The States and Municis
palities to adopt corresponding amend
1nents of their constitutions and statutes.
g. Municipal self-government.
g. Direct vote and secret ballots in all
elections Universal and equal right Of
suffrage without regard to color, creed,
or sex Election days to be legal holidays.
The principle of minority representation
to be introduced.
A. The people to have the right to pro.
pose laws Gnitiative) and to vote upon
all laws of Importance referendum.
5. The members of all Legislative
bodies to be responsible to and subject tC